


this world is gonna burn (baby you should stick around)

by cryingintheclub



Series: a city on fire [1]
Category: Cricket RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, M/M, please read the tags before reading, rated mature for mentions and vague descriptions of violence, rated mature for sexual references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:28:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21927232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cryingintheclub/pseuds/cryingintheclub
Summary: Just before the rebellion, Shaun and Tim have a moment to themselves.
Relationships: Shaun Marsh/Tim Paine
Series: a city on fire [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1579204
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	this world is gonna burn (baby you should stick around)

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be a short fic but instead grew into a mini-series. details about the world of the fic, ie. the rebellion, are vague. feel free to imagine it how you wish! please read the tags before reading.

❝**WHEN INJUSTICE BECOMES LAW, **  
**REBELLION BECOMES DUTY.**❞   
**\- **_V FOR VENDETTA_

Tim’s full of nervous energy, his knees bouncing; a habit he’s picked up on when he’s on edge between anticipation and nervousness. 

It is the night before everything is going to change. When the day breaks over the living hell they call home, all hell will break loose. The Resistance — as they are formally called — will charge through the city gates, like warriors running into battle as they overthrow the government and finally put an end to all of this. 

Shaun’s seated on the other side of room, his face blank as he surveys the room. Tim wants to be beside Shaun, as they watch the city that’s crushed them for so long crash and burn. Tim wants to see Shaun’s face smile in victory, to kiss Shaun and have Shaun’s hands roam across his body as they celebrate in private after they’ve won, after the oppressors finally meet their downfall.

Shaun’s eyes find Tim from across the room, and Tim knows Shaun wants this too. He can feel the want in Shaun’s glance, he can feel that _this_ is reciprocated. After everything both of them have lost, they deserve this. They deserve each other. 

Tim wants Shaun now, to take away his nerves, to make him forget about the world as it blurs away as their bodies merge into one, as they become the only two people in the world, just for those few moments of bliss. 

Shaun is not an expressive person, but Tim has been around him long enough to know when Shaun wants something. Tim gets up and walks across the crowded underground bunker to Shaun. This has been the rebels' hiding spot for the past three years and not once have they been caught. The Resistance has been right under the noses of the government the entire time and yet have been far away from their grasp. 

Shaun looks up at Tim with a blank expression, but Tim knows to read the subtle signs Shaun gives out. Like how the way Shaun's lips turn just slightly at Tim's arrival. Shaun looks around the crowded bunker, where members of The Resistance are chatting, poring over plans and strategies. In the last year, membership has almost tripled, with the population believing and actively working towards a rebellion. All it took was one spark - one person - and a wildfire started and is continuing to burn. 

The bunker feels alive, thrumming with energy and belief and most importantly hope. Hope is something they never lost, something the government tried but never successfully took away from them. Hope is the fuel for this rebellion; hope that the government _could_ be overthrown, hope that there _could_ be a better world. 

Tim knows it will be impossible for him to sleep tonight. No matter how hard he will try, he will be tossing and turning, his mind awake and alert as he runs through the plan in his head, as he stands in the city and watches the fall of the government, knowing that he played a part in this, knowing that he never lost hope. 

"It is a long time coming, this rebellion," Shaun says, posing it as a statement - a fact - rather than a question, as though Tim _should_ know that a rebellion was going to happen, that the people _would_ strike back. Shaun is looking out at the bunker, face impassive, not giving anything away. To Shaun, this must be a dream come true. His family was one of the founding members of the Resistance, of this rebel movement many years ago, when even thinking of rebelling was not heard of. 

Shaun has lost so much at the hands of the government. His family were high-profile rebels, on the government's radar for many years. And when news broke that Shaun Marsh had shown his face to the Resistance after being in hiding for so long, whispers of an actual rebellion became widespread, became real, became inevitable. 

Shaun was the spark they needed - not that Shaun would ever admit it. 

Shaun had said from the beginning that he would not be the face of the rebellion, and Tim doesn't blame him. He has gone through so much, has lost so much at the manipulative and cruel hands of the government. 

Tim looks back at Shaun, who is leaning back on his seat, arms crossed. It is the most relaxed Tim has seen Shaun in the short time they have known each other, which speaks volumes. Shaun's body language is typically tense; hunched shoulders, elbows propped up on knees - but not tonight. Shaun's the opposite of Tim, who's restless and fidgeting in his seat, thoughts rushing in his mind a million miles an hour. 

"This is the most quiet you've ever been," Shaun comments, eyebrows raised slightly at Tim's uncharacteristic behaviour. 

"This is the most talkative you've ever been," Tim counters instinctively, to take the attention away from him and his behaviour. 

Shaun hums, a sound of agreement. Shaun turns to study Tim, and Tim makes a point, using all the effort he has to pointedly look out around the bunker, and not back at Shaun, whose stare burns Tim's skin and lights his body up. Tim feels scrutinised, but he also feels hot all over. He hates this power, this _pull_ Shaun has over him without even realising it. Attachment only led to vulnerability, led to a weakness being exposed and used against you. 

Tim may not have had a family like Shaun did, but the government, this world, caused Tim to lose people he cared about, also. Tim tries to push Jimmy's and George's faces to the back of his mind. There's no point dwelling and bringing up painful memories, not when one slip-up, one moment of emotional toil and hesitance can cause everything they're fighting about to fail. Tim pushes this new thought to the back of his mind. Tomorrow, the government _will_ fall. Tomorrow, the world _will_ be a better place. Tomorrow, Tim and Shaun _will_ stand outside the city gates as the sun falls on the burning city, watching it burn and crumble into nothing but ash. And maybe after tomorrow, Tim wouldn't have to worry about being attached to someone, maybe after tomorrow he could be with Shaun and not worry that it was going to be used against him. 

Shaun is still staring at Tim, not bothering or not caring to hide that he's doing so. Shaun has this careless nature about him, of not caring about what anybody thinks of him or about his actions. It's one of the things that originally drew Tim in. To Tim, Shaun's personality is justified. Why should he care when everything he had was lost? Shaun has nothing to lose, now. Shaun admitted to Tim after one long night of patrolling the city that it was the main reason Shaun agreed to join the Resistance. Back then, Tim didn't think much of Shaun's words. But now... does Shaun still think the same? Does he care about Tim in the way Tim cares about him? 

"Are you done?" Tim snaps once he's had enough of Shaun's intensive stare burning holes in the side of his face. He hates the feeling of being small that comes with being studied him. 

"Checking to see whether you were still breathing. Never heard you this quiet before. Normally you can't keep your big mouth shut," Shaun replies, not fazed by Tim's sharp tone. 

"You keeping tabs on me?" Tim asks, going for a lighter tone, but it falls flat with the knot building up in his stomach. 

"Can't lose my partner the night before the rebellion," Shaun answers, as flat as ever. The plan is for Tim is to have Shaun's back during the rebellion, to make sure Shaun makes it out unscathed and not in the hands of the government, who would do anything to gain leverage, to use Shaun - enemy number one in their eyes - as a bargaining chip, as bait. 

"Didn't know you cared so much," Tim mutters sarcastically under his breath, irrational annoyance at Shaun's response bubbling under the surface, when Shaun's giving off cues that he wants this too, but his responses are saying the opposite. 

"Don't do that," Shaun says, leaning forward in his seat, arms folding again. 

Tim appears confused before asking, "do what?" in the most innocent tone he can muster. 

"Cut the bullshit, Tim," Shaun snaps. 

"I don't know what you're fucking on about," Tim replies, baiting Shaun. 

"Do you want me to spell it out for you?" Shaun snaps in annoyance, but Tim can see the want in his eyes. 

Tim's lips curl up into a smirk. "I would ask you to, but I know how much you hate using your words..." Tim pretends to look thoughtful as he counts to five silently before adding, "but you could show me." 

* * *

Tim lets out a sigh as he leans down on his back, breathless. Shaun is lying beside him, not even looking flushed or flustered. His face is blank as he stares up at the ceiling. 

"So, what now?" Tim asks, filling in the silence. 

Shaun rolls over, facing Tim with determination in his eyes. "Now we fight back."

Tim smiles at Shaun, before letting out a yawn. "But first we sleep." Tim rolls over, his bare back facing Tim, the sheets wrapped around the bottom half of his body. Tim feels Shaun's eyes on him, and he turns around and opens one eye. "I just gave you the best sex of your life. You are _not_ kicking me out of your bed."

"Would a little humility kill you?" Shaun asks instead, not exactly kicking Tim out of his bed, but not exactly giving Tim an invitation either. 

"Yes," Tim responds shamelessly before he turns back around. "And I'm not going to ever let you forget that I gave you the best sex of your life." 

"If we make it out alive after tomorrow." Shaun does not sound cut up - or even distressed as he says this. He states it as though he's talking about the weather. Tim wonders if Shaun has always been this casual about death, or if losing his family caused him to adopt a flippant attitude on death. 

"Do you think we won't?" Tim asks, turning back around. 

Shaun's now looking up at the ceiling. As he opens his mouth, he's still looking up at the ceiling. "Not everybody is going to live after tomorrow. You can't be that naïve." 

"I wasn't asking about everybody. I was asking about us." 

"I can't make any promises," Shaun replies, giving Tim a look saying _you know that, you fucking idiot. _

Tim rolls his eyes. "What you can do is to not actively look for ways to get killed. I'm supposed to be looking out for you. I don't want to die because you have a death wish."

"It's alright, Timmy. You're too pretty for death," Shaun mocks as he thumbs Tim's cheekbone. 

Tim slaps Shaun's hand away. "You're a fucking idiot." 

Shaun snorts before leaning back down and continues staring at the ceiling. "Whatever happens tomorrow, I just want you to know -"

Tim cuts Shaun off. "Save your undying love for me when we make it out of the city tomorrow." 

Shaun rolls his eyes. "Don't think I don't see the way you look at me." He hasn't stopped looking at the ceiling as he's talking, but does look at Tim after he's finished speaking.

Tim's mouth gapes open. It's not often he's left lost for words, and for _Shaun_ to leave him lost for words when he usually communicates in various tones of grunts, is an insult. 

Shaun laughs at Tim's reaction, the corners of his eyes crinkling. It is a soft sound, one that makes Tim's heart skips a beat. But Tim doesn't let it show, doesn't let Shaun have the upper hand as he doesn't respond and instead turns around, slightly annoyed that he was rendered speechless, but mostly elated to be beside the person he cares about. 

Tim has a smile on his face as his head hits the pillow, his mind full of optimism and hope for the future with the man sleeping beside him. 


End file.
